A/N: I own nothing. Nothing but the plot and Claire Phorest. Yay!
A/N: I'm sorry for the MUCH too long delay in posting this. that was just too long. School has been busy, and I'll try my best to be more punctual in posting.. thanks for your patience. I hope I haven't lost any readers! *sniffle* Thanks to Mishi for help with the staircase scene!
Chapter Four: The Tour.
Harry, Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Claire finished the breakfast time talking about Claire. Where she came from, what it was like there, et cetera. Harry noticed Claire eyeing Ron with interest, and Ron returning the glance. Harry chuckled to himself.
"S-so.. where in the States are you from, Claire?" Ron asked, turning red. "California," she responded, "I come from an area that's full of snooty people, but I try to stay as far away from them as possible. They seem to be awfully fond of their pocketbooks." Ron looked down at his gray, worn out, hand-me-down robes, and thought of the non-existent money in the Weasley family's Gringotts vault. His stomach dropped. -Great- he thought to himself, -she's used to millionaires. I'm sure all of my crappy stuff will sure impress her.- he thought sarcastically. He snapped back to the conversation. Hermione had just finished asking why she had moved there to Britain. "Oh, yes. My dad got transferred here. He now works for the Ministry of Magic, and--" "No way!" Ron interrupted. "My dad works there too! What department does your dad work in?" he asked with hopeful eyes. Claire smiled. -This could really work to my benefit.- she thought. -Our dads will know each other soon.- "Well, he used to work in the Department of Magical Transportation, but now he works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department. Where's your dad work?" she questioned. Ron sat there, not believing his ears. "My dad works in the same department!" he squealed.
They sat there talking for a long time, so deep in the conversation that they didn't even notice that Harry, Hermione and Neville had left ages ago for the common room. It wasn't until Professor Dumbledore came over that they stopped talking. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he looked at the two of them. "It's Saturday," he pointed out, "why don't you show our new student the ways of Hogwarts, Mr. Weasley?" Ron turned crimson, and Claire looked at Ron eagerly. "Yes, Ron! You promised to give me a tour, right?" she asked, her turquoise eyes pleading to Ron's brown ones. Ron's heart thumped. -she's so cute when she begs!- he thought. "Yes, indeed I did!" He stood up, and offered Claire his arm. This was a rather bold move for Ron, and therefore he blushed. -He blushes an awful lot. That's so sweet! He's so.. huggable...- she thought to herself. Claire leapt up and hooked arms with Ron, and they marched off, both not daring to admit the bond they felt the moment they touched. They headed towards the nearest hallway.
"And so, if you were to turn left, you'd be heading for the library, and turning right here would lead you to the bathroom," Ron informed Claire, who wasn't really looking at the hallways. Instead, she was staring at Ron without his knowing. -What is it about him?- Claire wondered to herself, as Ron informed her about the giant squid in the lake, -He's so sweet... and that British accent is to die for. But I don't know if he'd go for the 'new girl'.- She sighed silently and listened to Ron speaking. They approached a particularly narrow staircase. "And about the staircases, they move... a lot. So be careful," Ron warned as they headed up. "Harry, Hermione and I got into some, um... trouble in our first year by going up a moving staircase." Claire was just about to ask what happened, but she was interrupted. There was loud, unexpected crunch and a squeak of fright from Claire as the faulty stair step gave into her foot. She fell backward, and landed directly into Ron's arms, which were luckily willing to catch her. Claire fidgeted her foot. "Dear God, Ron! I broke the step!" she whined. Ron was shaking with laughter, still holding Claire up. "Oh yes, I forgot!" he said through bursts of laughter, "And there is that trick step in this staircase that you have to remember to jump!" Claire playfully elbowed his stomach. "Gee thanks for the warning. Now will you help me out?" she asked, giggling. Suddenly Ron realized that he was holding her. He took in this moment, remembering the sweet scent of her hair, the way it was falling gracefully on her shoulders. -What is it about her?- Ron wondered to himself, -She's so adorable... and that American accent is to die for. But I doubt she'd go for me, with my hand-me-down robes, and my hand knitted Weasley sweaters. I wouldn't be able to give her the riches she is used to.- He sighed, his heart aching, and breaking simultaneously. For now, he was just going to cradle her, or so he thought. "Um, hello?" Claire said, twisting her head around and looking straight into his eyes. They were so close. "Do you plan on helping me out?" she asked playfully. -He smells good.- Claire pointed out to herself. Nodding, Ron took her hands and maneuvered his way in front of Claire. He grasped her waist in a sort of hug and prepared to tug. "Ready?" he asked. -Whoa. He's hugging me.- Claire thought. "Um, yeah, I guess so..." she said softly, a girlish giggle escaping her lips as she spoke. "Ready? One... two... three!" and Ron tugged with all his might and Claire's foot wrenched free of the step. The force of Ron's tug sent them toppling to the floor. They landed with a thud and they were laughing uncontrollably. Ron took a breath and his voice gave a squeak, which made them laugh harder, and Ron turned the deepest shade of crimson imaginable.
They walked back to the Gryffindor common room, still vaguely laughing every once in a while. Harry and Hermione welcomed them back. They all sat in squashy armchairs and continued to tell Claire all about Hogwarts. Harry was warning Claire about Draco. "He's just mean. He calls Hermione a mudblood," Harry stated, anticipating the stunned gasp that Claire gave. Hermione turned to Harry. "Well, it's -late- and us girls should be going to our room. Goodnight all!" with that, she grabbed Claire's arm and dragged her to the room. "Oh, Goodnight! Thank you for a wonderful first day!" Claire told the room, but looking at Ron, who was looking at her dreamily. Harry's eyes followed the girls up the staircase and then heard the sound of a closing door. Harry turned to Ron, who had a bubbly look pasted on his face, along with a crooked smile. He was staring off into the unknown. "Right.. Ron? Ron. So what's up with you and Claire?" Harry asked eagerly. Ron came back to earth. "What? What do you mean?" Ron tried to look confused. Harry wasn't buying it. "Come ON, Ron. I see that look on your face. That's the same look I get when I'm around Cho. What's up?" Ron just smiled. "I'm going to get some sleep, ok?" he told the disappointed Harry. Ron climbed the stairs and entered the boys' room. "I'm not buying that, Ron!" Harry yelled after him. Ron closed the door, the feeling of levitation occupying his body. He laid down on his back on his four-poster and folded his arms underneath his head. He sighed a euphoric, thoughtful sigh and hoped he'd dream a lot tonight.
Thank you to all of my readers, and especially my reviewers.. Usually I put shout outs here, but I want to hurry up and post this. Thanks you guys. I love you all!
A/N: I'm sorry for the MUCH too long delay in posting this. that was just too long. School has been busy, and I'll try my best to be more punctual in posting.. thanks for your patience. I hope I haven't lost any readers! *sniffle* Thanks to Mishi for help with the staircase scene!
Chapter Four: The Tour.
Harry, Hermione, Ron, Neville, and Claire finished the breakfast time talking about Claire. Where she came from, what it was like there, et cetera. Harry noticed Claire eyeing Ron with interest, and Ron returning the glance. Harry chuckled to himself.
"S-so.. where in the States are you from, Claire?" Ron asked, turning red. "California," she responded, "I come from an area that's full of snooty people, but I try to stay as far away from them as possible. They seem to be awfully fond of their pocketbooks." Ron looked down at his gray, worn out, hand-me-down robes, and thought of the non-existent money in the Weasley family's Gringotts vault. His stomach dropped. -Great- he thought to himself, -she's used to millionaires. I'm sure all of my crappy stuff will sure impress her.- he thought sarcastically. He snapped back to the conversation. Hermione had just finished asking why she had moved there to Britain. "Oh, yes. My dad got transferred here. He now works for the Ministry of Magic, and--" "No way!" Ron interrupted. "My dad works there too! What department does your dad work in?" he asked with hopeful eyes. Claire smiled. -This could really work to my benefit.- she thought. -Our dads will know each other soon.- "Well, he used to work in the Department of Magical Transportation, but now he works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts department. Where's your dad work?" she questioned. Ron sat there, not believing his ears. "My dad works in the same department!" he squealed.
They sat there talking for a long time, so deep in the conversation that they didn't even notice that Harry, Hermione and Neville had left ages ago for the common room. It wasn't until Professor Dumbledore came over that they stopped talking. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he looked at the two of them. "It's Saturday," he pointed out, "why don't you show our new student the ways of Hogwarts, Mr. Weasley?" Ron turned crimson, and Claire looked at Ron eagerly. "Yes, Ron! You promised to give me a tour, right?" she asked, her turquoise eyes pleading to Ron's brown ones. Ron's heart thumped. -she's so cute when she begs!- he thought. "Yes, indeed I did!" He stood up, and offered Claire his arm. This was a rather bold move for Ron, and therefore he blushed. -He blushes an awful lot. That's so sweet! He's so.. huggable...- she thought to herself. Claire leapt up and hooked arms with Ron, and they marched off, both not daring to admit the bond they felt the moment they touched. They headed towards the nearest hallway.
"And so, if you were to turn left, you'd be heading for the library, and turning right here would lead you to the bathroom," Ron informed Claire, who wasn't really looking at the hallways. Instead, she was staring at Ron without his knowing. -What is it about him?- Claire wondered to herself, as Ron informed her about the giant squid in the lake, -He's so sweet... and that British accent is to die for. But I don't know if he'd go for the 'new girl'.- She sighed silently and listened to Ron speaking. They approached a particularly narrow staircase. "And about the staircases, they move... a lot. So be careful," Ron warned as they headed up. "Harry, Hermione and I got into some, um... trouble in our first year by going up a moving staircase." Claire was just about to ask what happened, but she was interrupted. There was loud, unexpected crunch and a squeak of fright from Claire as the faulty stair step gave into her foot. She fell backward, and landed directly into Ron's arms, which were luckily willing to catch her. Claire fidgeted her foot. "Dear God, Ron! I broke the step!" she whined. Ron was shaking with laughter, still holding Claire up. "Oh yes, I forgot!" he said through bursts of laughter, "And there is that trick step in this staircase that you have to remember to jump!" Claire playfully elbowed his stomach. "Gee thanks for the warning. Now will you help me out?" she asked, giggling. Suddenly Ron realized that he was holding her. He took in this moment, remembering the sweet scent of her hair, the way it was falling gracefully on her shoulders. -What is it about her?- Ron wondered to himself, -She's so adorable... and that American accent is to die for. But I doubt she'd go for me, with my hand-me-down robes, and my hand knitted Weasley sweaters. I wouldn't be able to give her the riches she is used to.- He sighed, his heart aching, and breaking simultaneously. For now, he was just going to cradle her, or so he thought. "Um, hello?" Claire said, twisting her head around and looking straight into his eyes. They were so close. "Do you plan on helping me out?" she asked playfully. -He smells good.- Claire pointed out to herself. Nodding, Ron took her hands and maneuvered his way in front of Claire. He grasped her waist in a sort of hug and prepared to tug. "Ready?" he asked. -Whoa. He's hugging me.- Claire thought. "Um, yeah, I guess so..." she said softly, a girlish giggle escaping her lips as she spoke. "Ready? One... two... three!" and Ron tugged with all his might and Claire's foot wrenched free of the step. The force of Ron's tug sent them toppling to the floor. They landed with a thud and they were laughing uncontrollably. Ron took a breath and his voice gave a squeak, which made them laugh harder, and Ron turned the deepest shade of crimson imaginable.
They walked back to the Gryffindor common room, still vaguely laughing every once in a while. Harry and Hermione welcomed them back. They all sat in squashy armchairs and continued to tell Claire all about Hogwarts. Harry was warning Claire about Draco. "He's just mean. He calls Hermione a mudblood," Harry stated, anticipating the stunned gasp that Claire gave. Hermione turned to Harry. "Well, it's -late- and us girls should be going to our room. Goodnight all!" with that, she grabbed Claire's arm and dragged her to the room. "Oh, Goodnight! Thank you for a wonderful first day!" Claire told the room, but looking at Ron, who was looking at her dreamily. Harry's eyes followed the girls up the staircase and then heard the sound of a closing door. Harry turned to Ron, who had a bubbly look pasted on his face, along with a crooked smile. He was staring off into the unknown. "Right.. Ron? Ron. So what's up with you and Claire?" Harry asked eagerly. Ron came back to earth. "What? What do you mean?" Ron tried to look confused. Harry wasn't buying it. "Come ON, Ron. I see that look on your face. That's the same look I get when I'm around Cho. What's up?" Ron just smiled. "I'm going to get some sleep, ok?" he told the disappointed Harry. Ron climbed the stairs and entered the boys' room. "I'm not buying that, Ron!" Harry yelled after him. Ron closed the door, the feeling of levitation occupying his body. He laid down on his back on his four-poster and folded his arms underneath his head. He sighed a euphoric, thoughtful sigh and hoped he'd dream a lot tonight.
Thank you to all of my readers, and especially my reviewers.. Usually I put shout outs here, but I want to hurry up and post this. Thanks you guys. I love you all!